Much has been said about the dangers of triple talaq, and why the practice needs to die a quick death. However, another disputable Islamic law known as nikah halala has evaded the public eye for years. For the uninitiated, it’s the process a Muslim woman has to go through when she wishes to reconcile with her husband after divorce. In a bid to do so, she needs to marry again, consummate the marriage, and then seek a divorce in order to unite with her first husband.

In India however, this practice is taking quite a horrible turn as Islamic scholars (maulvis3) are charging women for one-night stands in the name of nikah halala.

According to an exclusive India Today investigation, maulvis are offering themselves up for one-night stands with divorced Muslim women trying to save their marriages and charging them between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh for it. In fact, an undercover team met up with a few Islamic scholars, pretending to be the relatives of a divorced Muslim woman in need of nikah halala.

“The cleric, the investigation found, was already married. Still, he negotiated his role-play as a husband for a night. The Moradabad imam admitted he had officiated several nikah halala marriages before. This time, he proposed a package deal for the entire service, including sex,” states the report.

Though, the undercover investigation was carried out in Delhi and areas surrounding the National Capital, it’s not hard to guess that the racket plagues the entire country. And it’s a shame because the Islamic Sharia Council prohibits women from falling prey to such scams. “This is lust. It’s not permissible in Islam. This is a criminal offense committed in the name of religion. These people should be thrown out of the mosques. They should be booked,” says Maulana Maqsood-ul-Hasan Qasmi, the head of the Imam Council of India, in an interview to India Today.

After the expose, many Muslim leaders condemned the practice and deemed it as un-Islamic. Also, many Muslim countries around the world have already abolished nikah halala. Well, here’s hoping India follows suit.